The Sargeant and The Nurse
by californiablueeyes
Summary: Lena Hart is working as a nurse in London during WWII. She meets a man with dark hair, blue eyes, and a boyish smile but never learns his name before being transferred to the front lines to help wounded soldiers there. She wonders if their paths will ever cross again, and if she will ever learn his name. {Bucky Barnes/OC}
1. Chapter 1

{Chapter One}

Lena Hart stepped into the hallway of the makeshift hospital in London. A new shipment of wounded soldiers had come in during the night and they were all finally settled into beds and accounted for. She closed her eyes tight and pinched the bridge of her nose trying to clear her mind of the blood and carnage she had expertly maneuvered through all night. She inhaled deeply, focusing on her breathing, trying to compose herself for a moment before reentering the infirmary.

As she breathed, her mind wondered to thoughts of her older brother Frank. He had fought in the war against the Germans, and had died defending his country and countrymen only eight months ago. The telegram her family received said that he died in action and his body could not be recovered. Blasted apart by bombs dropped by enemy planes…

Lena shook her head trying to dispel the image from her mind. Her brother had gone so quickly, with so much to live for. That is why she had volunteered with the Red Cross. She felt she needed to do something, help in some way. For Frank, and for all of the soldiers who fought so valiantly.

Her eyes snapped open as her thoughts were interrupted by a young man in uniform who had apparently been trying to get her attention for some time now. He was tall, with dark hair and brilliant blue eyes, and a smile that cocked to one side making him seem boyish. He smiled and looked at her quizzically, as if awaiting an answer to a question she had not heard.

"I'm sorry, I beg your pardon?" Lena said, as she straightened her rumpled nurse uniform.

"I was asking if you knew the names of the soldiers on this floor, I'm looking for a friend of mine." He smiled warmly.

She stared at him, fixated on his friendly smile. Then, realizing she was staring for far too long apologized, "Yes of course, forgive me, I had very little sleep last night. My mind is all jumbled." She walked over to the desk outside the infirmary. "What was the name you were looking for?"

"Jackson O'Riley." He offered, still smiling his crooked smile.

"O'Riley, O'Riley…" She scanned the names on her list, running her finger down the page. She could feel him staring at her. _I must look awful, and he finds it amusing,_ she thought. "Here it is, Jackson O'Riley admitted yesterday evening. Broken leg and multiple cuts and bruising, I'm afraid. I'll take you to see him."

"Thank you, ma'am."

She led him through the doors into the infirmary. Soldiers were tucked into evenly spaced, sterile, white beds which lined the walls. She led him past a line of soldiers to the back corner of the infirmary, to a bed near a window.

"Here he is. He is sleeping now, but when he wakes, I'm sure a familiar face will lift his spirits."

"Thank you, I really appreciate your help." The man said as she gave a slight smile, nodded, and turned to leave.

She wished she would have learned his name. She assumed he would be there when she did her rounds tomorrow, or that she would see him regularly visiting his friend. She thought she would have another opportunity to see him smile and that he would ask her her name and they would be introduced. She thought all of these things and fell into her bed thinking about his crooked smile. But fate had different plans. When she returned to the infirmary the following morning, she was told that she was being reassigned to the front lines. They were in desperate need of nurses, and she had been one of the nurses chosen to go. Later that day she was loaded onto an army supply truck with six other nurses and she watched the make-shift hospital disappear from view. The hope of seeing his smile again disappearing with it.

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	2. Chapter 2

**{Chapter Two}**

Lena stepped behind the heavy canvas curtain in the medical supply tent. She placed both hands on the stainless steel camp sink and gripped its edges. What she had witnessed that morning was nothing short of miraculous. Captain America himself had gone behind enemy lines to one of the nearest Hydra facilities and had rescued nearly all of the men who had been captured in the 107th Infantry Unit. Lena had stood in awe as he, in all of his red, white, and blue glory, marched into camp with the men he had rescued. She even allowed herself to hope that because of Captain Rogers, soon this wretched war would be over.

With the rescued men now brought safely back to camp, Lena had been busy helping soldier after soldier receive medical attention. She had not stopped since that morning. She looked at herself in the small cracked mirror that was situated over the metal sink. Her hair was pulled into a bun at the base of her neck but it had become loose, and soft tendrils of her light brown hair fell around the sides her face, framing it. Her hazel eyes looked tired and she noticed light shadows starting to appear under them. She turned on the sink and let the cool water run over her hands, and then splashed the cool water on her face taking a deep breath in. She looked in the mirror again. _What would mother think?_ She chuckled at the memories of her mother fussing over her as a young girl.

 _"Why must you always muddy your Sunday dress? And look at the state of your new shoes!" Mother would scold when Lena and her brother Frank stepped into the kitchen after a long day of adventures and make-believe outside. "I thought the Lord had given me a daughter, but look at you! I've got to unruly, headstrong sons!"_

 _Frank would joke and say, "Yes, Mum, but I'm the favorite son, right?" That would make Lena smile and look up at her mother through long eyelashes. She could see a smile creeping at the corners of her mother's mouth as well._

 _"Certainly not! Off to wash, both of you! I don't want to see any dirt under those finger nails- or no supper!"_

Lena smiled slightly at the memories of her mother and brother. Mother had died of Influenza three winters ago.

Lena was pulled from her thoughts by her Chief Nurse, Captain Figg.

"Hart, finish up and then I need you to come with me to B Tent." She snapped authoritatively.

"Yes Captain Figg. Permission to ask why?" Lena dared to ask.

"You'll find out soon enough, lieutenant. Now hurry, don't dawdle!"

Lena dried her hands and straightened her uniform, then followed Captain Figg through the heavy canvas curtain and out of the medical supply tent. As she fell in step behind her superior officer, she couldn't help but wonder why she was being summoned to B Tent. That is where Colonel Phillips typically resided, and she made an effort to stay out of his way.

As they entered the tent, a soldier directed them into a room enclosed by canvas curtain behind him. As she entered she saw Colonel Phillips, talking to Captain Rogers in hushed voices. Agent Peggy Carter was talking to a man Lena new as the famous Howard Stark, and sitting on the edge of an examination table was a man with dark hair. He looked up at her with blue eyes and smiled his crooked smile.

"Ma'am." He nodded his head in her direction. Lena was certain she felt her stomach do a back flip.


End file.
